Theatre Teaches Youto Value Others. I Am Very Particular About Commitment. I Do Not Give Up Easily.

Q. Our readers would like to know about your academic achievements. What was the biggest challenge while learning abroad?

I have done 2 master’s; a Master’s in Ancient History from Delhi University and a Master’s in Corporate Communication from the USA. It was an interesting challenge for me to study abroad: the teaching approach was very different, there were many assignments that required one to synthesize material, and one had to constantly read and be prepared for class discussion. My schooling and college education was in Hindi medium, so it was quite an abrupt shift getting used to the English language for all forms of communication. They did have a cell for international students which was very helpful. Interactions with the teachers were amazing. It was for the first time that I enjoyed studying this much. Overall, it was a beautiful learning experience. The bigger challenge for me was the transition from Patna to Delhi, rather than from Delhi to the USA.

Q. Why did you choose acting as a career? How has theatre impacted your work in films?

Choosing acting as a career happened very gradually. I just know when I started acting in 9th standard in a theatre group in Patna, I got immense satisfaction being on stage. Though I was shy and had a lot of inhibitions during my formative years, I was quite fearless on stage. I loved the appreciation that came with it. Then in 2001, I felt like going back to acting again. One learns a lot on the journey. Discipline, commitment, and group work, helped in films. In real life, I earned a lot of respect due to that. Theatre teaches you to value others. I am very particular about commitment. I do not give up easily. I stick to whatever I commit to and am very thankful for people appreciating me for the same. Theatre has taught me many values.

Q. You have played various characters in theatre plays. Which is the favourite play you like the most?

CHAMPA’s character by Vijay Tendulkar from his play, Sakharam Binder is one of my favourites. It was quite demanding. Champa’s character is very different from who I am, so I had to push my limits by doing that as an actor. My confidence grew as I learnt something new.

Q. You are a theatre person. What are your recent achievements in theatre?

I am doing a grand musical play called Mughal-e-Azam. It can be seen as India’s response to the Broadway-style musical. At first, it was produced by Shapoorji Pallonji. The play is based on the movie. It is directed by Feroz Abaas Khan and I am playing Jodha Bai in it. The musical has been a huge hit; in 6 years we have performed it over 200 times in various locations both in India and abroad. We are expecting to go to USA and Canada to perform. It gives me a sense of considerable satisfaction. It’s been accepted and appreciated very well.

Q. What is the role of struggle in your successful acting journey? How do you accept challenges after being recognized in the film industry?

I see my profession more as overcoming a series of challenges rather than a struggle. I do love the engagement, sometimes it’s easy and sometimes hard. It is a freelancing job and I am aware of its uncertainties and difficulties, particularly when you compare it to a steady job. Life, for any performing artist clearly has many ups and downs. I feel however blessed with its many benefits. That is how I look at it.

Q. What was the first project that established you as an actor in the film and television industry?

In the long-running television show “Na Aana Iss Des Laado” that played on Colors, people started quickly recognising me. I feel quite gratified that even today people recognise me as a character from that show. It was my second show.

Q. What was the biggest attraction of your short film “MAD”?

I am so glad that you asked about MAD. A few friends got together and made this short film with a low budget. The process was very interesting. It received a lot of appreciation through comments from many viewers on YouTube, where it was uploaded. I felt very good since people resonated with the subject which was quite bold. This is one of my favourite experiences.

Q. Your web series Jehanabad was quite appreciated by the audience. How satisfied are you playing a strong character?

It’s my most recent work and has been receiving constant appreciation. If an actor is able to successfully entertain, then one is obviously pleased when appreciated. The character that I played had a certain playfulness as well as gravity. It is about a woman who is ready to take clear decisions, whether it affects her daughter or her husband.

Q. You have worked with many directors in films. Who taught you the most? Who did you like working with the most?

Yes, I have worked with many directors and each director and the unit has given me a different experience, so I will not be able to say who in particular taught me the most. I can say that with each director I have learnt and grown. I would say the journey with the directors of Jehanabad, both Satyanshu Singh and Rajiv Bernawal, has been quite collaborative and memorable.

Q. In the field of acting, there is a lot of criticism also. How do you accept the same?

The audience is rather kind and quick to really appreciate when one works well and one does get overwhelmed. However more than appreciation, I have sincerely learnt a lot from criticism. It indeed has a lot of value for me and I try to accept it very gracefully. I do like feedback for improvement, it is a good thing; it makes one a better actor.

Q. In the current scenario of web series, the language in most of the web series is harsh. Youth is following this the same in their life also. What is your opinion as a web series actor?

Yes, you are right! Even I feel the language in some web series can get rather gross at sometimes, so I feel it is a worthwhile concern, not just the language but much of the content. It should not be for mere titillation and cheap entertainment. Please tell us about your upcoming projects. The projects that I have worked on and are expected to be released are: ‘12th Fail’ – a Vidhu Vinod Chopra film, ‘Agra’ – a film by Kanu Behl, ‘Made in Heaven’ – season 2, ‘Sunflower’ – season 2. We are expecting to go on three months tour to USA and Canada for performing ‘Mughal-e-Azam’.